U.S. patent application number 09/456836 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-18 for vacuum apparatus and fan casing for the same.
Invention is credited to AIYAMA, FUMIHIKO, TAKAHASHI, KAZUNORI.
Application Number | 20010031206 09/456836 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18439304 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010031206 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
AIYAMA, FUMIHIKO ; et
al. |
October 18, 2001 |
VACUUM APPARATUS AND FAN CASING FOR THE SAME
Abstract
A vacuum apparatus has a recessed portion which is provided at
an appropriate position of a fan casing. When incoming materials
frequently pass through the fan casing, the recessed portion wears
more quickly than the rest of the inner surface of the fan casing.
Hence, a user of the vacuum apparatus can easily know when to
replace the fan casing by visually checking the recessed portion
from outside the fan casing.
Inventors: |
AIYAMA, FUMIHIKO; (TOKYO,
JP) ; TAKAHASHI, KAZUNORI; (KAWAGOE-SHI, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Michael D. Bednarek
SHAW PITTMAN
1650 TYSONS BOULEVARD
MCLEAN
VA
22102
US
|
Family ID: |
18439304 |
Appl. No.: |
09/456836 |
Filed: |
December 7, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/234 ;
415/118; 417/423.14 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01G 20/47 20180201;
F04D 29/403 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/234 ;
417/423.14; 415/118 |
International
Class: |
F04B 017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 14, 1998 |
JP |
354697/1998 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vacuum apparatus comprising: a fan casing through which an
incoming material passes; wherein an outer surface of said fan
casing is provided with a recessed portion that extends inward
towards a center of the fan casing.
2. A vacuum apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outer
surface of said recessed portion extends to an inner surface of
said fan casing.
3. A vacuum apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outer
surface of said recessed portion extends farther inward from an
inner surface of said fan casing.
4. A vacuum apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of
said recessed portions are provided along an outer periphery of
said fan casing.
5. A fan casing through which an incoming material passes and which
is used for a vacuum apparatus, wherein; a recessed portion that
recedes toward an inner surface of said fan casing is provided on
an outer surface of said fan casing.
6. A fan casing according to claim 5, wherein an outer surface of
said recessed portion reaches said inner surface of said fan
casing.
7. A fan casing according to claim 5, wherein said outer surface of
said recessed portion is positioned farther inward than said inner
surface of said fan casing.
8. A fan casing according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of said
recessed portions are provided along an outer periphery of said fan
casing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a vacuum apparatus and,
more particularly, to a vacuum cleaner used for cleaning up, for
example, fallen leaves, wooden chips, and waste, and to a fan
casing for the same.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In a vacuum cleaner used for cleaning up fallen leaves,
wooden chips, waste, and other items (U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,726 is an
example of such a device), incoming materials are passed through a
fan casing while sliding against an inner surface of the fan
casing; hence, the inner surface of the fan casing is apt to wear
due to the contact with the incoming materials. If the fan casing
is subjected to continued use for an extended period of time
without being replaced at appropriate intervals, then the fan
casing may incur serious damage or incoming materials may leak out,
or other problems may arise during operation of the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, the present invention has been made with a view
toward solving the problems associated with the related art, and it
is an object thereof to provide a vacuum apparatus that enables a
user to easily check from outside a degree of wear on an inner
surface of a fan casing that is caused by frictional contact with
incoming materials so as to allow the user to easily know the
appropriate time to replace the fan casing.
[0006] To this end, the present invention provides a vacuum
apparatus equipped with a fan casing through which an incoming
material passes, wherein an outer surface of the fan casing is
provided with a recessed portion that extends toward the inner
surface of the fan casing. The recessed portion has the appearance
of a protrusion when viewed from inside the fan casing.
[0007] According to the present invention, if incoming materials
frequently pass through the fan casing, then the recessed portion
wears more quickly than the rest of the inner surface of the fan
casing. Therefore, the user will be able to easily know when to
replace the fan casing by visually checking the recessed portion
from outside the fan casing. If the wear on the recessed portion
advances until a hole finally opens in the recessed portion, then a
noise (e.g. a whistle-like noise) that is different from normal
operating noises will be produced, so that the time to replace the
fan casing can be known audibly as well as visually.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
depth of the recessed portion can be set so that an outer surface
of the recessed portion reaches the inner surface of the fan
casing, or the outer surface of the recessed portion is positioned
farther inward than the inner surface of the fan casing.
[0009] Furthermore, the number of the protrusions is not limited to
one; any appropriate number of recessed portions may be provided
along the outer periphery of the fan casing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective general view of a vacuum cleaner in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a fan casing of the vacuum
cleaner of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential section
of the fan casing of FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, a vacuum apparatus in accordance with
one embodiment of the present invention is a vacuum cleaner used
for cleaning up fallen leaves, wood chips, waste, and other
materials. A main body 1 of the vacuum apparatus is integrally
equipped with an air-cooled two-cycle gasoline engine 2 working as
a driving motor, a recoil starter 3 for starting the engine 2, a
fuel tank 4, a fan casing 5, and operating handles 9 and 10 that
provide grasping portions for an operator. The upper operating
handle 9 is provided with an output control lever 15 for the engine
2. A suction pipe 6 is detachably coupled to an intake opening 5d
of the fan casing 5, while a blowout pipe 7 is detachably coupled
to an outlet opening 5a of the fan casing 5. A dust bag 8 having
appropriate air permeability is detachably connected to a
downstream or blowout end of the blowout pipe 7.
[0014] In the vacuum apparatus, the fan casing 5, the suction pipe
6, and the blowout pipe 7 are formed of, for example, a plastic
constituent to minimize the weight of the apparatus.
[0015] Referring to FIG. 2, the fan casing 5 is removably attached
to one side surface of the main body 1 by a plurality of attaching
sections 5c provided along an outer periphery thereof. A cutter 11
and a fan 12 are positioned in the fan casing 5, and the cutter 11
and the fan 12 are also mounted on an output shaft 14 of the engine
2. The suction pipe 6 is detachably coupled to the intake opening
5d of the fan casing 5.
[0016] When the fan 12 rotates, incoming materials such as fallen
leaves, wood chips, and waste are drawn into the fan casing 5
through the suction pipe 6, smashed by the cutter 11, guided in
slidable contact with an inner surface 5b of the fan casing 5 that
is smoothly curved, blown out through the blowout pipe 7, and
accommodated in the dust bag 8.
[0017] In this embodiment, a recessed portion 13 that extends
toward the inner surface 5b of the fan casing 5 is formed along the
outer periphery of the fan casing 5. The recessed portion 13 is
provided at a location in the fan casing 5 that is prone to be worn
due to frictional contact with incoming materials. Preferably, an
appropriate number of the recessed portions 13 are provided at
appropriate locations, instead of providing just one.
[0018] As shown in an enlarged view of FIG. 3, an outer surface 13a
(the surface facing the outside of the fan casing 5) of the
recessed portion 13 extends inward, and beyond the inner surface 5b
of the fan casing 5. In other words, the depth of the recessed
portion 13 is set so that the outer surface 13a of the recessed
portion 13 is positioned farther inward than the inner surface 5b
of the fan casing 5.
[0019] Most incoming materials drawn into the fan casing 5 through
the suction pipe 6 when the fan 12 rotates are fed from the intake
opening 5d toward the outlet opening 5a while being held firmly in
frictional contact with the inner surface 5b of the smoothly curved
outer periphery of the fan casing 5 by a centrifugal force produced
by the rotation of the fan 12. Therefore, in a prolonged use, the
inner surface 5b of the fan casing 5 gradually wears from the
frictional contact with the incoming materials. In this case, since
the recessed portion 13 is provided in the fan casing 5 at a
location prone to wear, the recessed portion 13 wears more quickly
than other portions of the fan casing 5. As a result, the wall of
the recessed portion 13 becomes thin, allowing the operator to
visually check the degree of wear of the inner surface 5b easily
from outside the fan casing 5. Generally, materials appear either
lighter in color or more transparent as they become thinner due to
wear. Thus, the operator can easily know the appropriate time to
replace the fan casing 5.
[0020] Moreover, when the wear of the recessed portion 13 advances
until a hole opens therein, then the hole will produce a noise
(e.g. a whistle-like noise) that is different from normal operating
noises, so that the proper time to replace the fan casing 5 can be
known audibly as well as visually from outside the fan casing 5. An
appropriate number of recessed portions 13 distributed at
appropriate locations in the fan casing 5 permits more reliable
check of wear.
[0021] The wall thickness, depth, and other characteristics of the
recessed portion 13 may be set according to the desired replacement
interval of the fan casing 5. If the foregoing whistling effect is
not mandatory, then the outer surface 13a of the recessed portion
13 does not have to be deep enough to reach the inner surface 5b of
the fan casing 5; the recessed portion 13 may have a depth that
makes a thinner wall portion that corresponds to an allowable
amount of wear. Alternatively, the recessed portion 13 may be
filled with a transparent constituent such as a synthetic resin to
prevent materials from exiting out of the holes created by a worn
recessed portion 13 although this prevents the whistling
effect.
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